| X-7 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Experimental aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
| First flight | April 26, 1951 |
| Retired | 1960 |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| Developed into | AQM-60 Kingfisher |
The Lockheed X-7 (dubbed the "Flying Stove Pipe") was an American unmanned test bed of the 1950s for ramjet engines and missile guidance technology.
Design and development[]
The X-7 was carried aloft by a B-29 or B-50 Superfortress carrier aircraft. A booster rocket ignited after launch and propelled the vehicle to a speed of 1,000 mph (1,625 km/h). The booster was then jettisoned, and the underslung ramjet took over from that point. The X-7 eventually returned to Earth, its descent slowed by parachute. A maximum speed of 2,881 mph (4640 km/h / Mach 4.31) was attained, setting a record for fastest air-breathing aircraft at the time. A total of 130 X-7 flights were conducted from April 1951 to July 1960.
The X-7 was also used to test HEF-2 and Hi Cal-3 zip fuel, which has a superior heating value of 26,500 Btu/lb. compared to hydrocarbon fuel with 18,400 Btu/lb.[1]
Specifications (X-7A-1)[]
General characteristics
- Crew: None
- Length: 32 ft 9 in (9.98 m)
- Wingspan: 12 ft (3.66 m)
- Height: 7 ft (2.1 m)
- Loaded weight: 8,000 lb (3,600 kg)
- Powerplant:
- 1 × Alleghany Ballistics Laboratories X202-C3 solid-fuel rocket, 105,000 lbf (467 kN)
- 1 × various Marquardt MA20 ramjets under test, ()
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 4.31 (2,881 mph, 4,640 km/h)
- Service ceiling: 106,000 ft (32,317 m)
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ "A-11 General VI-1". CIA. January 1968. http://www.foia.cia.gov/docs/DOC_0001465813/DOC_0001465813.pdf.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lockheed X-7. |
- Q-5/AQM-60
- "Ramjet test missile takes off on supersonic flight." Popular Science, pp. 142–143.
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The original article can be found at Lockheed X-7 and the edit history here.